Fridays update for SWTOR

whilan · January 2011

Okay i know this is terribly close to the flashpoint trailer as it was basically a leak of sorts. But here is the official release of that info. It also shows some more flashpoints

http://www.swtor.com/info/systems/flashpoints

This is just the more official word on it.

Nebiroth · January 2011

Goood ..... GOOOOOOOD

whilan · January 2011

At the moment they have shown us 1 of each low level empire/republic flash point, 1 of each mid level empire/republic flash point and a end game flashpoint which involves both sides fighting together against a common enemy.

Remember though these are just the ones they've shown us for an example. There are still more to come.

ZERMINUS · January 2011

I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

Goldknyght · January 2011

Originally posted by ZERMINUS
I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

hmm intresting therory. Sounds spot on. I was never beliving a spring launch anyways, but bioware usually hits their targets so late april or may, could be the release in meaning a few days before summer starts so its still a spring launch lol

whilan · January 2011

Originally posted by ZERMINUS
I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

They always go in some kind of order

3 fridays ago we got a look inside how star crafts work and a Q and A

2 fridays ago we got an entirely new planet

this friday we got a look at flashpoint

seems to be pretty good in my opinion, some people expected more, but then they don't know how friday updates work.

Second paragraph, i don't agree. I think your looking at it wrong and on purposely trying to take it a bad way. Just my personal opinion but it is based on everything i've seen from you. (everything has a history, even posters :P )

How is information drying up? like i stated they have a pattern, it may not fit the normal amount of release people are used to, but then again, Bioware isn't like most companies, they tend to keep the work to themselves until it is complete and in the case of this game three requirements have to be met first.

1. The content is complete

2. The content connected to the content they want to release has to be complete

3. The content they want to release is set on a specific schedule for marketing purposes.

We all have to wait and see but i hardly think this shows any kind of signs of any delay. They just showed us one example of end-game, the thing people have been most asking for.

GMan3 · January 2011

Originally posted by Goldknyght

Originally posted by ZERMINUS
I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

hmm intresting therory. Sounds spot on. I was never beliving a spring launch anyways, but bioware usually hits their targets so late april or may, could be the release in meaning a few days before summer starts so its still a spring launch lol

First off, Goldknyght, "Summer" doesn't officially start until around June 21st this year so the window is a little bigger than you might think.

Second, while I can see where Zerminus is coming from in his theory, I am forced to wonder if the opposite is true. Maybe they are going so sparce on the Friday updates because the game is so close to being released and the final information is being held for the media blitz that always seems to come before a big game.

Either way though, hopefully we know more on February 1st or at the latest in March with PAX East.

ZERMINUS · January 2011

Originally posted by Isane

Originally posted by ZERMINUS

I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

You need to read up on officially released info:

Bioware only releases information when content is complete and they are happy with it. Interdependency plays a lot with respect to content has to be complete.... Hence it's difficult to release posssibly the majority of this , flashpoints being self contained equivalents of an indtanced dungeon falls into the easy to talk about category.

On top of this they have a clearly defined policy of leaking just enough info , as they really really want people to experience the game not have completed it before it is released.

The Beta theory i rubbish , I expect that the closed Beta will have doen most of the legwork and their will be no Open Beta other than a restricted load test to a very limited area of the game.

It is very rare to see such a consistent and professional approach to the releasing of content prior to release which is refreshing.

The Haters must be all self imploding whats not to like about any BIOWARE release. Roll on release....

The vast size and scale of this game would allow Bioware to easily release weekly content for years not sure where the lame info drying up comes from I guess it is a desperate last grasp at that imaginary straw that doesn't exist.

"It is very rare to see such a consistent and professional approach to the releasing of content prior to release which is refreshing."

You sincerely believe that? You're not being sarcastic?

Nazgol · January 2011

Originally posted by ZERMINUS
I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

Sigh, for someone who likes to comment on a game he is clearly not interested in you know nothing. This game has been in closed BETA for months now. They do a update every Friday, even during holidays, I don'see see Guild Wars or many MMOS doing that. Soft information? Really? They gave you what appears to be a PVP planet last week and showed you basically what they call a dungeon this week.

zazz · January 2011

Originally posted by ZERMINUS

Originally posted by Isane

Originally posted by ZERMINUS

I'm disappointed by the amount and quality of the game information released over the last couple of Fridays.

I don't know whether this has been caused by some new EA/Biowere marketing policy which stipulates that only 'soft information' - ie. lore and non-core game information - be communicated or whether the marketing machine has just somehow gone wrong but the information we are getting now seems - to me - to be rather lame and patronising.

It also suggests - and this is just my speculation - that if the information is somehow drying up, then we are NOT likely to see a Spring launch since information tends to increase in volume and detail as Beta and Roll-Our approaches. If this is the case, it may be that the choking back of information means a September/Fall roll-out is now on the cards since the EA/Bioware marketing team must now ration out information to last another six months while abandoning the original marketingplan and creating a new one on the fly.

You need to read up on officially released info:

Bioware only releases information when content is complete and they are happy with it. Interdependency plays a lot with respect to content has to be complete.... Hence it's difficult to release posssibly the majority of this , flashpoints being self contained equivalents of an indtanced dungeon falls into the easy to talk about category.

On top of this they have a clearly defined policy of leaking just enough info , as they really really want people to experience the game not have completed it before it is released.

The Beta theory i rubbish , I expect that the closed Beta will have doen most of the legwork and their will be no Open Beta other than a restricted load test to a very limited area of the game.

It is very rare to see such a consistent and professional approach to the releasing of content prior to release which is refreshing.

The Haters must be all self imploding whats not to like about any BIOWARE release. Roll on release....

The vast size and scale of this game would allow Bioware to easily release weekly content for years not sure where the lame info drying up comes from I guess it is a desperate last grasp at that imaginary straw that doesn't exist.

"It is very rare to see such a consistent and professional approach to the releasing of content prior to release which is refreshing."

You sincerely believe that? You're not being sarcastic?

Well you better keep enjoying it for a awhile longer.

This is not confirmed obviously but i think its a safe bet.

http://uk.gamespot.com/pc/rpg/starwarstheoldrepublic/news.html?sid=6286955&om_act=convert&om_clk=newsfeatures&tag=newsfeatures%3Btitle%3B2

GMan3 · January 2011

No offense zazz, but the website you linked too is quoting another website that uses EA Louse as one of it's sources. Now you tell me, exactly how unbiased and accurate is the word of a former employee that wasn't worth keeping around and therefore gets canned? I know that ALMOST everyone I have known in a similar situation always blamed the company instead of their own inadequacies and the one person I know that accepted any of the blame only admitted to about half od the crap he had done wrong. I'm sorry, but EA Louse has NO credibility.

For Gamespot UK to run that article is actually even more stupid than the original website that ran it. I'm not saying that the game will not be pushed back, I just think it is extremely improper for "journalists" to use such poor ethical standards when they publish an article. Credible sources are one thing . . . EA Louse is another and allowing him to be listed as a source for an article hurts there own credibility.

jpnz · January 2011

The fact that EALouse is still considered a 'source' by some news outlets is hilarious.

But I guess if you burned all your bridges that you won't find another job within the industry, you have to do something I guess.

AdamTM · January 2011

Originally posted by GMan3
No offense zazz, but the website you linked too is quoting another website that uses EA Louse as one of it's sources. Now you tell me, exactly how unbiased and accurate is the word of a former employee that wasn't worth keeping around and therefore gets canned? I know that ALMOST everyone I have known in a similar situation always blamed the company instead of their own inadequacies and the one person I know that accepted any of the blame only admitted to about half od the crap he had done wrong. I'm sorry, but EA Louse has NO credibility.

I find it amusing that people assess credibility based on if a person was fired or not or if he had a grudge or not.

Its comparable to saying that the woman that got beaten by her husband has a grudge agains him, so therefore her testimony should be discarded.

His statements can be true or false and the assessment has nothing to do with the fact if he got fired, left on his own accord, was payed off or otherwise.

In other news, people that get fired sometimes really are not to blame and your anecdotal evidence of "people you know" is hardly a counter-argument.

In fact i have anecdotal evidence to the contrary and let me tell you that in the entertainment-industry its more often then not the fault of the employer. This stems from the fact that the industry often has a lot of missmanagement due to general marketing guys thinking they can manage a very specific sector.

In other words, people get hired that marketed potatoes and now are supposed to market computer games, it just doesnt work out.

whilan · January 2011

I don't think it's about if someone was fired or not. There was quite a few things that were discounted by another employee as being lies. The mere fact he tried to smear ToR when he had no part in it (he said this himself) and assume what another company is doing make it seem shady at best.

Add to this that this only happened after he was let go (not fired yet, just told his time had ended) he started smashing on everything and it makes people question the motives.

Regardless of the case though, EaLouse isn't what this topic is about, it's about the firday update and the new flashpoints and showing they have them throughout the game, even at end-game. So if we could get back to the topic that would be great.

GMan3 · January 2011

Originally posted by AdamTM

Originally posted by GMan3
No offense zazz, but the website you linked too is quoting another website that uses EA Louse as one of it's sources. Now you tell me, exactly how unbiased and accurate is the word of a former employee that wasn't worth keeping around and therefore gets canned? I know that ALMOST everyone I have known in a similar situation always blamed the company instead of their own inadequacies and the one person I know that accepted any of the blame only admitted to about half od the crap he had done wrong. I'm sorry, but EA Louse has NO credibility.

I find it amusing that people assess credibility based on if a person was fired or not or if he had a grudge or not.

Its comparable to saying that the woman that got beaten by her husband has a grudge agains him, so therefore her testimony should be discarded.

His statements can be true or false and the assessment has nothing to do with the fact if he got fired, left on his own accord, was payed off or otherwise.

In other news, people that get fired sometimes really are not to blame and your anecdotal evidence of "people you know" is hardly a counter-argument.

In fact i have anecdotal evidence to the contrary and let me tell you that in the entertainment-industry its more often then not the fault of the employer. This stems from the fact that the industry often has a lot of missmanagement due to general marketing guys thinking they can manage a very specific sector.

In other words, people get hired that marketed potatoes and now are supposed to market computer games, it just doesnt work out.

First off AdamTM, your comparison is a little off. The husband would have no credibility after being arrested for beating his wife and then claiming she deserved it. That makes it equivilant to my statement of EA Louse not being a good enough to be kept around and so was fired and therefore has no credibility when he goes on his little rant.

Second, go to his website and actually read his post. It stinks to high heaven of conspiracy theories and flat out fabrications. He admits to never having worked on SWTOR, yet has all this inside knowledge and knows exactly how it was screwed up and exactly who is to blame? He knows the actual budget costs? This guy didn't even work in the same state this game is being developed, never worked on the project and yet has all this insider knowledge? Highly doubtful for a company that is so carefully controlling the information on this game. Then comes his crystal ball on exactly how this game will be such a horrible failure. I wish he could have told me about all the bad lottery tickets I have bought, would have saved me a ton of time and money.

I'm sorry, but I just see this guy walking around with a tinfoil hat on so no one can read his mind and refusing to look up a the sky in case some government agency has a satelite tracking him. He is plain and simple a flat out joke and any "journalist" that uses him as a source deserves to be laughed at right along side Mr EA Louse.

On a more pleasant topic, those flashpoints look very cool and already listing five of them . . . AWESOME. The animations really have me hyped and the Voice Overs are even looking more appropriate to the character movements. A big thimbs up to the people working on this stuff.

Relampago · January 2011

I am not concerned with the volume of information coming out. I believe in bioware and I am hoping they are keeping a few nuggets close to their chest to prevent competitors from stealing and incorporating some of these ideas before they go to market.

Don't get me wrong I am not an absolute fan boy, I don't like the direction they took with space combat and would have preferred they did not include it at launch rather than make the tunnel shooter it is. However this game will be much more than the space combat as was kitor so I hold out hope.

ktanner3 · January 2011

I find it amusing that some people are complaining about the "lack" of information when we've been given so much already. I thought the flashpoints were interesting and something we didn't already know. They said that when a part of the game has been finished, we'll learn about it, which is as it should be. How many times have we been told that such and such feature would play a certain way only to find out later that it doesn't? I'd rather the developers take their time and get it right instead of taking an unproven concept and making promises they can't keep. I'd rather that information be released in a finished state for all of us to see. That's how you develop trust with your fan base, which is so crucial to the long term success of an MMORPG.

GMan3 · January 2011

Originally posted by ktanner3
I find it amusing that some people are complaining about the "lack" of information when we've been given so much already. I thought the flashpoints were interesting and something we didn't already know. They said that when a part of the game has been finished, we'll learn about it, which is as it should be. How many times have we been told that such and such feature would play a certain way only to find out later that it doesn't? I'd rather the developers take their time and get it right instead of taking an unproven concept and making promises they can't keep. I'd rather that information be released in a finished state for all of us to see. That's how you develop trust with your fan base, which is so crucial to the long term success of an MMORPG.

I agree completely. Especially since if you got to pretty much ANY other MMO's website that has been around for a few years, you will notice that the SWTOR website already has about the same information listed as they do. I will admit I would LOVE to see more information on the game, but I can also be happy with the amount of information they are giving us at this time.

whilan · January 2011

Browsing their website (not their forums ) i looked at the layout and it appears we are missing one more slot from the main category and one more ship. Naturally more can be expanded on but these are the actual slots that appear to be missing something. Which could be easily filled in in 2 weeks time (reveal a class starship, then whatever was suppose to go in that last slot, done)

I've been following MMOs for a while (by no means does this make me an expert) and this is generally the amount of knowledge you have about the game a few months before release, some you only know some lore and the classes. Others go into more, some go into it less. But basing on the website of ToR we don't have much left to reveal. The last class ship. end-game raids and whatever fits into that last slot (which could be the raids for all i know)

Note: the timeline was already stated by devs that it wouldn't be fully filled in by the time the game released so that doesn't really figure into the missing info depending on release time.

Foomerang · January 2011

I think BW is holding one more ace to reveal before open beta. Prob some mechanic or feature that we know nothing about yet.

Gruug · January 2011

I just wanted to point out that gamespot.com reported that SWTOR release would be pushed back to September "according to Bioware insider". However, that same day a few hours later the community rep for the SWTOR forums came out and said that Bioware is still shooting for a Spring release date. Also, EA/Bioware are conducting a tele-conference with investors this week and have stated that one of the topics will be firming up the release date. Stay tuned.

slpr · January 2011

Originally posted by Foomerang
I think BW is holding one more ace to reveal before open beta. Prob some mechanic or feature that we know nothing about yet.

Only one ace? wait till you see the rest. They have alot of things to show!

whilan · January 2011

slpr, it sounds to me, that you are in beta, is this true?

Asbo · January 2011

I wish he could have told me about all the bad lottery tickets I have bought, would have saved me a ton of time and money.

This is well off topic from me but imo dude if you are relying on lottery tickets to change things then you have the wrong money blueprint and need to address this now! You should invest the time you spend on them to educate your self to making money, not giving it to others and helping forfill other peoples goals and dreams.

Back on topic.

I prefer not to comment on this article as anyone can write an article based on information whether true or false and it will mislead to other information which could or could not be true and cause all sorts of problems. I feel it's a total waste of time becasue whether the games comes out in spring or autum it's unimportant as long as it's finished.

Like someone pointed out above if it does an Anachy Online then god help us all, though they did have an open beta and were told by many of us tester not to go live, but did and we all know what happened. Personally i don't give a sh!t if it falls back to 2012. If it needs that time to get it right then so be it, just my quids worth.

Bandit.

slpr · January 2011

Originally posted by whilan
slpr, it sounds to me, that you are in beta, is this true?

No, i'm not in beta (i wish). But theres alot of things they haven't shown us! We still need to hear about guilds, raids, the rest of the pvp features, some new kind of endgame they are making, legacy system, minigames, more details about crafting and the auction house system. Also what kind of customization are our characters going to get, how many armor sets are available, are our ships customizable? theres so many things they haven't shown or talked about.

I just hope this game comes in may or else it sems the "rumor" may be true. I think they are saving alot of information, for when they get closer to launch and get some massive hype for the game. But if they delay it, i don't mind... i just want this game to be awesome!

P.S: almost forgot, february 1 is the day of a meeting were probably EA is going to reveal to their investidors the plans for 2011. I think we will know if the game comes in spring or will get pushed back.

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Fridays update for SWTOR

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Fridays update for SWTOR

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